Prozomix and Ginkgo Bioworks Collaborate on Next-Gen Enzyme Development for Sustainable API Manufacturing

The partnership combines Ginkgo's AI/ML and enzyme engineering expertise with Prozomix's wealth of enzyme sequence data to create best-in-class enzymes for API manufacturing

NORTHUMBERLAND, England and BOSTON, April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prozomix, a UK-based biotech company focused on novel biocatalyst discovery and manufacturing, and Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, today announced a new partnership. Together, Ginkgo and Prozomix aim to build out the production of next generation enzyme plates for active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing. This collaboration aims to leverage Ginkgo's Enzyme Services and industry-leading AI/ML models along with Prozomix's existing enzyme libraries and deep experience manufacturing enzyme plates.

This agreement also marks Prozomix's entry into the Ginkgo Technology Network, a groundbreaking ecosystem of cutting-edge technology partners dedicated to driving innovation in customer R&D programs. Ginkgo's Technology Network brings together a diverse array of partners, spanning AI, genetic medicines, biologics, and manufacturing, with the aim of integrating their capabilities to provide customers with robust end-to-end solutions for successful R&D outcomes. With Prozomix now in the Technology Network, Ginkgo customers will have access to Prozomix's scalable contract manufacturing services, including enzyme samples from mg to kg scale.

For several decades, demands for both improved supply chain sustainability and reduction of costs of goods sold has driven the pharma industry towards the adoption of biocatalysts in commercial API manufacturing. Existing enzyme plates offer users an opportunity to rapidly screen potential candidates early in development to identify and de-risk the use of biocatalysts capable of supporting specific reactions in API manufacturing routes. As such, biocatalyst adoption largely depends on the diversity and performance of the enzymes available in these plates.

Prozomix and Ginkgo are partnering to usher in a new generation of biocatalysts built off of sequences and activity data from previous enzyme libraries. Ginkgo will build class-specific AI models informed by enzyme sequences and data from its own massive metagenomic database as well as Prozomix's enzyme libraries and associated screening data. These models can then be used to discover novel functional enzyme sequences. Prozomix intends to then use next-gen enzyme libraries, designed by these models, to manufacture novel enzyme plates.

Together, the partners expect these next-gen enzyme plates to have a diversity and performance that traditional plates lack, potentially unlocking biocatalytic opportunities where previous plates have failed. These plates will be freely available to all pharma process chemistry groups, provided that screening data is shared back with Ginkgo to drive further refinement of the Ginkgo AI/ML models.

Simon J. Charnock, CEO of Prozomix: "With a global reputation for de-risking early stage biocatalytic processes, we believe the Ginkgo partnership will keep Prozomix at the forefront of best in class biocatalyst provision throughout the AI revolution, enabling our customers to continue saving and improving more lives."

Cindy Chang, Senior Director, Business Development at Ginkgo Bioworks: "API manufacturing is poised to greatly benefit from the latest in enzyme engineering and AI/ML enzyme models. We are so excited to partner with Prozomix to get enzymes into as many API routes as possible and help partners meet both their COGs savings and sustainability goals."

To learn more about Ginkgo's Enzyme Services, please visit https://www.ginkgobioworks.com/offerings/biopharma-enzyme-services/

About Ginkgo Bioworks

Ginkgo Bioworks is the leading horizontal platform for cell programming, providing flexible, end-to-end services that solve challenges for organizations across diverse markets, from food and agriculture to pharmaceuticals to industrial and specialty chemicals. Ginkgo's biosecurity and public health unit, Concentric by Ginkgo, is building global infrastructure for biosecurity to empower governments, communities, and public health leaders to prevent, detect and respond to a wide variety of biological threats. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com and concentricbyginkgo.com, read our blog, or follow us on social media channels such as X (@Ginkgo and @ConcentricByGBW), Instagram (@GinkgoBioworks), Threads (@GinkgoBioworks) or LinkedIn.

GINKGO BIOWORKS INVESTOR CONTACT:
[email protected] 

GINKGO BIOWORKS MEDIA CONTACT:
[email protected]

About Prozomix
Exploring unchartered metagenomic sequence space in collaboration with big pharma and leading academics for over a decade, Prozomix offers the largest, most diverse and free-to- screen Biocatalysis Enzyme Toolkit for API synthesis on the global market. A combined R&D and manufacturing site, purchased by Prozomix and built-out specifically in response to customer demand, now offers seamless scaled-hit production to kgs dry powder within 1 week of request, and has cemented a global reputation for de-risking early stage bioprocess development. A private, profitable and progressive UK entity, Prozomix is a trusted choice for novel enzyme discovery and production all the way to commercial manufacture. For more information, visit prozomix.com, or follow us on social media, X (@Prozomix) or LinkedIn.

PROZOMIX CONTACT:
[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements of Ginkgo Bioworks

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the capabilities and potential success of the partnership and Ginkgo's cell engineering platform. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "can," "project," "potential," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) volatility in the price of Ginkgo's securities due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Ginkgo operates and plans to operate, variations in performance across competitors, and changes in laws and regulations affecting Ginkgo's business, (ii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and to identify and realize additional business opportunities, (iii) the risk of downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology, (iv) the uncertainty regarding the demand for passive monitoring programs and biosecurity services, (v) changes to the biosecurity industry, including due to advancements in technology, emerging competition and evolution in industry demands, standards and regulations, (vi) the outcome of any pending or potential legal proceedings against Ginkgo, (vii) our ability to realize the expected benefits from and the success of our Foundry platform programs, (viii) our ability to successfully develop engineered cells, bioprocesses, data packages or other deliverables, and (ix) the product development or commercialization success of our customers. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of Ginkgo's annual report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 29, 2024 and other documents filed by Ginkgo from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Ginkgo assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Ginkgo does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks